How to Top Up Your Lottery Ticket Online in NZ?

In New Zealand, the excitement of playing lotteries is now at your fingertips with the convenience of online platforms.

Whether you’re into Lotto, Powerball, Strike, Keno, Bullseye, or Instant Kiwi, the process is straightforward, allowing you to participate and try your luck from the comfort of your home.

Here’s your comprehensive guide to purchasing lottery tickets online in NZ:

How to Purchase Lottery Tickets Online?

To purchase lottery tickets online in NZ, you must either have the Lotto NZ app on your mobile smartphone or open your Mylotto account at their website directly on your web browser, Chrome or Safari on your PC or tablet.

1. Lotto NZ App or MyLotto Account: To get started, you need either the Lotto NZ app on your mobile smartphone or a MyLotto account accessed through your web browser on your PC or tablet.
2. Login or Register:
   • On the MyLotto NZ website homepage, find the ‘Login’ button.
   • If you already have an account, log in. Otherwise, you’ll need to register.
   • Opening a MyLotto account is easy, requiring a New Zealand bank account and a New Zealand-issued Visa or MasterCard.
3. Verification Process:
   • If you don’t have a New Zealand-issued Visa or MasterCard, you’ll need to provide copies of specified forms of ID for verification.

• Passport
• New Zealand Drivers Licence
• Firearms Licence
• New Zealand Birth Certificate
• New Zealand Marriage Certificate
• Document evidencing a bank account in your name (e.g. deposit slip)
• New Zealand-issued International driver’s license

Once your account is verified, you can play and buy tickets online.

With your MyLotto account, you can store your lucky numbers as a Favourite so they can be played anytime; keep your tickets safe and secure; play anywhere and access an exclusive virtual draw.

After opening your account, you can use the same login to play the games from the MyLotto website or the Lotto NZ app.

Top Up Your Lottery Ticket Online

Now that you have opened your lottery account, you must top up to purchase your ticket.

To top up, log into your account.

• Select the profile icon, then click ‘Top up.’
• This can be found in the top right corner of your screen.
• Enter your NZ bank account details.
• You’ll only have to do this if you haven’t completed this step when you created your MyLotto account. 
• Top up your wallet with the amount you feel comfortable to spend.    
• Choose your payment method, follow the prompts, and top up with a minimum of $1 and a maximum of $150.
• If you’re using a credit or debit card for the first time, you must add this to your MyLotto account. 
• Remember that your Player Funds balance can’t exceed $999.
• You’ll see your top-up amount next to your profile icon.  
• Also, Internet banking can take 3-5 days to show up in your MyLotto wallet. Credit or debit card top-ups are instant.

[Play real money games at NZ casinos]

You will be asked for your password. Before you add your credit or debit card details, you’ll be invited to enter your MyLotto password, so make sure you have that handy. 

Most banks have MyLotto in bill payments, but in case you need them, MyLotto bank details are: 03 0502 0854794 04
 You may see a $1 ‘authorization’ transaction on your bank statement. This is used to validate your card; you won’t be charged, and it’ll disappear from your bank statement in 5-7 days.

You can top up with a minimum of $1 and a maximum of $150. If you try to add more, it won’t appear in your MyLotto wallet and will be returned to your bank account. 

You can deposit funds into your MyLotto account either by credit card (Visa, Visa Debit, or MasterCard only) or from your bank account using phone banking or online bill payment. Remember that phone banking or online bill payment top-ups can take 3-5 days to appear in your MyLotto wallet balance.

You may also like: How To Check The NZ Lotto Results On Your Mobile?

To Top Up Online:

• Login to MyLotto
• Tap the balance icon in the top right of the screen
• Click the ‘Top Up’ button
• You will see options to top up with a linked credit card or internet banking.

There is a weekly top-up limit of $150. This is the maximum amount you can deposit to your Player Funds weekly. For a single transaction, the minimum deposit amount is $1. The maximum deposit amount is $150.

If you’re having trouble entering your bank account details:

• Ensure your cursor is at the far left of the box when you enter the number.
• Your bank account number is not your 16-digit EFTPOS/Debit/Credit Card number.
• If you receive an error stating that your bank account is already in use, this could be due to one of two reasons.
• It is associated with an older abandoned or forgotten MyLotto account or
• For example, it is currently used in your partner’s MyLotto account.
• If you have an abandoned or forgotten MyLotto account, call their customer support team at 0800 695 6886, and they will help resolve this issue.
• If your partner is currently using the bank account, you will need to use a separate bank account in your MyLotto account. Different bank account suffixes are deemed to be the same bank account.

Most banks will already have “MyLotto (Online Top-Up)” loaded as a registered payee in their Bill Payment setup sections.

Be careful not to select “Lotto (Retailer payments only)” if it comes up in your search – this could delay the funds showing in your MyLotto account.

If you can’t find the existing “MyLotto (Online Top-Up)” registered payee on your Internet banking website or app, you will need to set up a bill payment yourself using MyLotto’s bank account number, which is: 03 0502 0854794 04

You must also complete the following fields:

• ‘Particulars’: You are not required to fill out this field
• ‘Code’: Your surname (this is restricted to 12 characters)
• ‘Reference’: Enter your 10-digit MyLotto customer number. For example 10xxxxxxxx – to find this, select ‘Top Up’ and then ‘Top up: internet banking’. Your 10-digit MyLotto customer number is found in bold.

Your past and present tickets can be viewed in ‘Financial History’ under ‘My funds’ in ‘My Account > Settings’.

‘Financial history’ also shows when and how much has been deposited and withdrawn from your MyLotto account.

The deposited funds will show under the ‘head and shoulders’ icon on your MyLotto account.  
 
Once you’ve topped up your account and the funds have shown up, you’re ready to buy a ticket.

Read also: How To Play Instant Lotto Games With Your Mobile At Lotto NZ And Win?

So think of the process as:

Money → MyLotto account balance → Online lottery purchase

rather than:

Money → physical lottery ticket → top-up

How Do You Buy a Ticket After Topping Up?

Once your MyLotto balance contains sufficient funds, you can select the online game you want to play.

Depending on the game and current Lotto NZ offerings, this can involve choosing your numbers or using an automatic number-selection option.

The usual process is:

1. Sign in to MyLotto.
2. Select the lottery game.
3. Choose your numbers or use the available random-number option.
4. Select the appropriate draw.
5. Review your entry.
6. Confirm the purchase.
7. Check that the transaction has been accepted.

Always review your selections before confirming a purchase.

If you’re using a mobile phone, take a moment to check the game, draw date, numbers and amount before pressing the final confirmation button.

What Happens to Unused Money?

Suppose you deposit $30 but only spend $10 on lottery entries.

The remaining amount can remain as player funds in your account, subject to the applicable MyLotto account rules.

You don’t necessarily need to spend your entire deposit in one transaction.

Lotto NZ’s published responsible-gambling information also states that MyLotto accounts have a maximum balance of $999. If the balance exceeds that amount, the player must withdraw money to bring the balance down before purchasing games.

What Is the MyLotto Deposit Limit?

This is particularly important for anyone who plans to use MyLotto regularly.

Lotto NZ states that there is a rolling seven-day deposit limit of $150 for MyLotto. In other words, the amount you can add isn’t simply reset at midnight every Sunday or Monday; it operates on a rolling seven-day basis.

Lotto NZ also says players can establish their own lower seven-day spend limit, up to the applicable maximum.

For example, someone might decide that they only want to spend $20 per week on lottery games even though the platform’s maximum permitted limit is higher.

That can be a useful way of turning a lottery budget into a firm boundary.

Why Does My Top-Up Say It Failed?

Reason	What It Means	What You Should Do

Insufficient funds

Your bank or payment account may not have enough available funds to complete the deposit.

Check your available balance and try again if appropriate.

Payment details

Your payment card or other payment method may have expired, been blocked, or have incorrect details.

Check the payment details and update them if necessary.

Bank security

Your bank may temporarily block or decline an online transaction because it considers it unusual.

Check with your bank if the transaction continues to be declined.

Deposit limit reached

You may have already reached your applicable rolling seven-day deposit limit.

Wait until your available deposit limit resets before attempting another deposit.

Account balance limit

Your MyLotto balance may already be at or above the applicable maximum of $999.

Withdraw funds if necessary to bring your balance below the permitted limit.

Technical problem

The website, app, payment service or your internet connection may be experiencing a temporary problem.

Check your connection and try again later if appropriate.

Money deducted but balance not updated

Your bank may show the payment as completed while the funds have not yet appeared in your MyLotto balance.

Don’t immediately make another payment. Check your MyLotto transaction history first, then contact Lotto NZ support if necessary.

Can You Automatically Top Up Your Account?

If you’re wondering whether MyLotto can automatically add money whenever your balance becomes low, don’t assume that this feature is available.

Automatic deposits and payment features can change as the platform develops.

Check the current settings in your MyLotto account before relying on an automatic funding arrangement.

For responsible play, many people may actually prefer manually adding only the amount they have decided to spend.

How Long Does an Online Top-Up Take?

A successful online deposit may appear quickly, but payment processing can occasionally take longer.

If the transaction is pending, avoid making repeated deposits simply because the balance hasn’t immediately changed.

First check whether the payment has been completed, pending or declined.

If you’ve been charged but the money isn’t reflected in your account after the expected processing period, contact Lotto NZ.

Conclusion

Topping up your lottery account online in New Zealand is relatively simple once you understand that you’re adding money to your MyLotto account rather than topping up an individual lottery ticket.

The basic process to top up your lottery ticket online is:

Log in → choose the deposit/top-up option → add funds → confirm payment → check your balance → purchase your eligible lottery entry.

The most important thing is to use the official MyLotto service, check the current payment instructions and account limits, and avoid repeatedly submitting payments when a transaction appears delayed.

Online lottery play is convenient, but convenience shouldn’t replace budgeting. Lotto NZ provides spending controls, including a rolling seven-day deposit limit and options for players to set lower limits.

Ultimately, the best approach is to decide what you can comfortably afford to spend, treat lottery tickets as entertainment rather than an investment, and stick to your predetermined limit. As Lotto NZ’s own responsible-play message puts it, “Play a little. Dream a lot.”

FAQs